When the Sand Runs Out
by Breanie
Summary: Sirius gives advice from the grave.


**When the Sand Runs Out**

**Song: **When the Sand Runs Out by Rascal Flatts

**Harry** Potter stood in front of the large marble tombstone that held the memorial to Sirius Black, his godfather. He blinked back tears as he stood there in the cemetery lost in memories of his friend and still fighting against that tug of denial that insisted that he hadn't really died. Remus Lupin, another old friend of his parents and of himself, had suggested that they build the memorial next to Harry's parents. Remus had insisted that this would help give Harry closure over Sirius' death because they had never recovered his body when he fallen beyond the veil. Remus, as well as Harry's friends, knew that because they hadn't found the body, Harry hadn't truly accepted Sirius' death.

He stared up at the marble stone that stated:

**Here lies Sirius Black, 1960 – 1995. **

**Beloved friend, godfather, and brother. **

**Rest in peace, Padfoot.**

Harry closed his eyes for a moment as he remembered Sirius. He had been wonderful so full of life, but at the same time, he had always been holding back. Not that he had much of a choice on the holding back part. But Harry had understood, after all, he had spent twelve years of his life in prison in Azkaban paying for a crime that he had never committed. Sirius Black a.k.a. Padfoot, had been the best mate of Harry's father while they had been to school. James Potter, better known as Prongs by his friends, and Sirius Black had never been seen without each other. With the help of their fellow marauders, Remus Lupin (Moony) and Peter Pettigrew (Wormtail), the four of them had explored Hogwarts and invented a map that told all of the school's secrets. They had been there for one another through thick and thin and Sirius had stood as best man at James' wedding when he had finally won the heart of Lily Evans. When Harry had been born, Sirius had been named godfather. Then Voldemort had arrived and because Sirius had been Secret Keeper at the beginning, people believed that he had sold his best friend out to Voldemort. Sirius had then gone after Pettigrew, who had really been the one to sell out his friends. Wormtail had faked his own death, making it look like Sirius had murdered him. Sirius had then been forced to spend twelve years of his life in Azkaban as an innocent man.

Harry remembered how only two years ago, Sirius had escaped from prison and how the world had thought that he wanted to murder Harry. They had ended up in the Shrieking Shack and there, with the help of Ron's rat, Scabbers, the truth had been uncovered. Scabbers turned out to really be Peter Pettigrew and that night Harry learned the truth about what happened to his parents. Sirius had originally been Secret Keeper, but at the last minute he had convinced James and Lily to switch to Pettigrew because no one would ever suspect him. But it turned out that Wormtail was a Death Eater and as soon as the spell had been cast, he sold out his friends. Sirius, however, still had to live his life on the run because of an unfortunate turn of events that involved Moony forgetting to take his potion and transforming into a werewolf and Wormtail escaping, but he had always been there for Harry when he needed someone. Then, after everything that Sirius had done for Harry, he had been stupid enough to fall for Voldemort's tricks and lead Sirius to his death.

He looked up at the tombstone again and sighed before closing his eyes. Dumbledore had told him that it wasn't his fault, as had Lupin and his friends. But he couldn't help but blame himself. Sirius had been such a wonderful person and he never got to do all of the things that he should have. Even if Harry knew, deep down inside, that Sirius didn't blame him for what happened and that Remus was right. Sirius had died fighting exactly the way he would have wanted to go out.

_I spent the morning at an old friend's grave_

_Flowers and amazing grace_

_He was a good man_

_He spent his whole life spinnin' his wheels_

_Never knowing how the real thing feels_

_He never took a chance_

_Or took the time to dance_

_And I stood there thinking_

_As I said goodbye_

_Today's the first day_

_Of the rest of my life_

Harry's eyes flew open when he felt a small hand find his. He glanced down at the milk-maid white skin and then brought his emerald green eyes up to the dark chocolate brown ones of Ginny Weasley.

"It's okay to grieve, Harry. I miss him too."

Harry smiled at her. She had always seemed to understand him, all year. It had been something that he had secretly clung too, that fact that she was there for him. Now as he stared at her, her beautiful red hair and her dark brown eyes he knew that those feelings of friendship had changed. He remembered Sirius teasing him, telling him that Ginny was gorgeous and that he should get his act together before she was taken by someone else. Harry had thought Sirius was delusional, he didn't like Ginny that way … but oh he did. He had known Sirius was right even when he denied it.

"Harry, are you alright?" Ginny asked. "You look a little … odd?"

Harry's grin widened and at that moment, he knew what he wanted. He knew what he was going to do. He felt like he had been waiting for this moment his entire life. Almost as if he had been planning it, but he knew that it was all impulse. That he hadn't really planned on doing this until right now. He tugged gently on her hand and because she hadn't been expecting it, she came closer. He pulled her against him and brought his mouth down to hers.

_I'm gonna stop lookin' back_

_And start movin' on_

_And learn how to face my fears_

_Love with all of my heart_

_And make my mark_

_I wanna leave somethin' here_

_Go out on a ledge without any net_

_That's what I'm gonna be about_

_Yeah, I wanna be runnin'_

_When the sand runs out_

When he broke the kiss, Ginny looked up at him quizzically. "Harry?"

He kept his hands sitting comfortably on her waist. "Ginny?" He asked with a casual grin on his face.

Ginny laughed and threw herself into his arms kissing him again. "This isn't a fluke, right?"

Harry laughed and pulled her down to the ground so that he was pinning her beneath him, sliding his hands gently through her hair. "I want you. That's not a fluke."

Ginny grinned and brought her mouth back to his.

'_Cause people do it every day_

_Promise themselves they're gonna change_

_I've been there_

_But I'm changin' from the inside out_

_That was then and this is now_

_I'm a new man, yeah,_

_I'm a brand new man_

_And when they carve my stone_

_They'll write these words:_

_Here lies a man who lived life_

_For all that it's worth_

Ginny smiled up at him, her hands in his hair. "What made you change your mind? Why do you like me now?"

Harry grinned. "I don't like you now, I love you. And nothing changed my mind. I have no idea when I started feeling like this. Sirius knew, and I guess when I was thinking about him and suddenly you were here … and … be my girlfriend, Gin?"

Ginny smiled. "Of course." She kissed him softly. "I'd like nothing better."

They stood up and Ginny took his hand again. They stood there together, hand in hand, looking at Sirius' tombstone. Ginny smiled at it and thought of Sirius. All of the times they had stayed up late in Grimmauld Place talking and how she had told him of her feelings for Harry. She grinned down at the stone and she thought she felt a breeze of familiarity wash over. She smiled and then she whispered 'Thank you Padfoot'.

_I'm gonna stop lookin' back_

_And start movin' on_

_And learn how to face my fears_

_Love with all of my heart_

_And make my mark_

_I wanna leave somethin' here_

_Go out on a ledge without any net_

_That's what I'm gonna be about_

_Yeah, I wanna be runnin'_

_When the sand runs out_

They looked at each other for a moment and then they smiled and began to walk through the cemetery, hand in hand.

_And as the cold wind blows across the graveyard_

_I think I hear the voice of my old friend_

_Whispering in my ear_

'_What the hell took you so long, Harry?'_

"Huh?" Harry asked, glancing at Ginny.

"I didn't say anything, Harry," Ginny replied, looking at him curiously.

Harry shook his head. "I thought I heard … well, it doesn't matter."

Ginny laughed and hugged him close. "Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

Harry grinned at her and hugged her tight, emotion overwhelming him. Never in his entire life had anyone ever told him they loved him. Then he squinted in the distance. He thought he saw a shadow, a flicker of … Sirius?

'_That's right, Harry,'_ a voice whispered in his ear, sounding almost as if he were standing right next to him. _'You finally got the girl, now just go and defeat the bad guy. James and Lily may want to see you, but your mum says that if you're up here with us any time soon she's going to kick your arse to Timbuktu. Oh and James says he wants grandchildren. Now kiss the girl already.'_

Harry wasn't sure if he was going crazy or not, but he took Sirius' advice and he kissed Ginny.

_I'm gonna stop lookin' back_

_And start movin' on_

_And learn how to face my fears_

_Love with all of my heart_

_And make my mark_

_I wanna leave somethin' here_

_Go out on a ledge without any net_

_That's what I'm gonna be about_

_Yeah, I wanna be runnin'_

_When the sand runs out_

Ginny smiled and then she heard a voice in her ear that sounded like Sirius as well. '_Told you that you'd bag the hero.'_

Ginny laughed. "Yeah, I did." Then she pulled Harry closer for another kiss.

_I wanna be runnin'_

_When the sand runs out_

_Ooo, yes I do._


End file.
